Cristina Mariani-May is family proprietor and co-CEO of Banfi Vintners, America’s leading wine importer, and the award winning Castello Banfi Vineyard Estate in Montalcino, Tuscany.
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Looking for Love in All The Right Bottles
Cristina Mariani-May
co-CEO Banfi Vintners
America's Leading Wine Importer
Charming day, Valentine’s is. Who can argue with romance, candlelight, treats and seduction? My only argument is why we relegate this celebration to just once a year. Love is never redundant, after all, nor should be the ways we express it. Much like the range of wines available and the myriad of occasions in which to enjoy them (nice segue, huh?).
By now anybody who has read this column before knows that my favorite wine is pure romance in a bottle. Rosa Regale, a sparkling red from Italy, is the poster child for a Valentine’s Day wine – sparkling, heart-colored red, festive, relatively low in alcohol, fruity, goes great with chocolate as well as savories, and so on. Rosa Regale, for those same reasons and more, is also a great wine for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and new year; Mother’s Day, Easter, graduation, summer pool parties, and, as a matter of fact, every day. And in my book, none of those days are short on love.
But with that said, let’s look into other wines that are suitably romantic, for February 14 or any day either side of the calendar.
Bubbly wines are considered romantic, and I like my romance with an Italian accent. So after Rosa Regale, another charming sparkler is Prosecco; one of my favorites is from Maschio, available either in a “Brut” style or their elegant “Maschio dei Cavalieri.” Less imposing than Champagne but equally as festive, it sets the tone but doesn’t steal the show.
For slightly less fizz, try Principessa Perlante, a Gavi that has a subtle frizzante to it. The same winery produces the completely dry Principessa Gavia Gavi, made from the same grapes and equally as romantic. Both are crisp, dry, elegant and flavorful.
They are named for Principessa Gavia, a 6th century noblewoman who eloped with her lover after their father, Clodimir, King of the Franks, forbade her to marry a commoner. They settled in a tiny village on the far side of the alps to live in obscurity, but, enticed by the charming local wine, the couple let their story slip out. The King brought them back to his court for punishment, yet upon when looking into his lovely daughter’s eyes, he could not help but forgive her. He blessed their marriage, and as a gift gave them the town in which they had chosen to settle (it’s good to be the King), which, along with the local wine, was then named in her honor – Gavi.
If red calls to your heart, though, try L’Ardí, a Dolcetto d’Acqui that is redolent of berry fruit flavor and as easy to drink as Josh Duhamel is to look at. In the local Piedmontese dialect, “L’Ardí” (pronounced Lar-DEE) means “bright and brave,” specifically referring to a fun and adventurous young man. And what, I ask all tomatoes, could be more romantic than that?
Rosa Regale - Aromatic with a hint of rose petals and raspberries, a unique sparkling ruby-red wine – great with savories and especially well suited to desserts, particularly chocolate. It is also delightful as an aperitif. Average national retail is around $23 a bottle – also available in romantic 375ml half bottles ($14), 187ml single serving ($6) or the 1.5L party size magnum ($40)
Maschio Prosecco Brut – Light straw yellow in color with a lively froth. Bouquet of white peach and orange blossoms. Fruit forward, with peach and almond flavors. Average national retail $13.
Maschio dei Cavalieri Prosecco – Sparkling wine with light gold color, creamy textured perlage; aromas of candied citron and acacia; the taste is soft, fresh with an elegant finish. Average national retail $19.
Principessa Perlante - A true aristocratic, this delightfully crisp, fruity white; produced from the Cortese grape grown in Piedmont, offers a touch of "frizzante" to tickle the palate. Average national retail is around $18.
Principessa Gavia Gavi – Piedmont’s premier dry white wine with an intriguing crispness which exalts the fruitiness of this historic and noble wine. Average national retail is around $14.
L’Ardí Dolcetto d’Acqui – A lively and quaffable red wine made from Dolcetto grapes from Piedmont. Ruby colored and redolent of fresh grapes and ripe cherries, with a dry finish. Average national retail $11.
